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email dave@allmon.com

My QuickCam only site

This is a prototype motorized filter wheel. It holds 4 50 mm filters of up to 2.38mm thickness. The thickness of the unit is under 3/8", but does not include the T-thread adapter which was removed from the camera, and will be placed on the front of the filter unit.

Back side. The right side is where the electronics will go. This leaves access to the purge/solenoid adjustment hole at the top.

This is a lousy picture. Even Krylon UFB reflects when hit full in the face with a xenon strobe.

The stepper is in the lower right corner. It has a dried sorbothane tire on the shaft which contacts the edge of the wheel. All appears to work Ok. The motor has 400 steps per revolution.

I am still writing the control code. It will talk to the PC via I2C for now. Later it can go on a "scope bus" with the temp controller/autoguider. If there is enough poop left in the PIC, I´ll include these functions as well. If not, then I´ll just use another PIC.
 

The front and rear plates are 0.040 Al. The wheel is glued up from a 1/32" and a 3/32" piece of aircraft plywood. Total cost so far is less than $20.00 from the surplus places. I have less than 8 hours in it so far.